What Kinds of Practice Questions Are in an RMA Study Guide?

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Study guides for the registered medical assistant exam, known as the RMA test, include practice questions in categories on the exam, including general knowledge of the profession, and administrative and clinical responsibilities of the registered medical assistant. General knowledge questions, which account for 41 percent of the exam questions, include anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, medical ethics, human relations and patient education. Clinical questions cover such topics as asepsis, sterilization, vital signs, physical examinations and clinical pharmacology.

Clinically-related questions, which account for approximately 35 percent of the RMA exam, also cover instruments, minor surgery, laboratory procedures, electrocardiography, and first aid and emergency procedures. Administrative questions deal with topics such as insurance, financial and medical record-keeping and other tasks involved in managing a medical office or unit.

A typical practice question requires the test-taker to select the condition indicated by a certain combination of electrocardiograph readings or the color of the tube top when collecting a certain type of specimen for laboratory analysis. Another type of practice question involves selecting the correct diagnosis from a list of symptoms or identifying a requirement of the Truth in Lending Act that pertains to patient payments. Practice tests include specific questions regarding the structure and function of various bodily systems, definitions of pertinent medical, legal and administrative terms and the physiology of vital signs, such as blood pressure, pulse and respiration.